Combination level stand and carrier



March 23, 1965 H. VULLMAHN 3,174,666

COMBINATION LEVEL STAND AND CARRIER Filed May 21, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR HERBERT VULLMAHN ATTORNEY March 23, 1965 H. VULLMAHN 3,174,666

COMBINATION LEVEL STAND AND CARRIER Filed May 21, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENI' OR HERBERT VULL MAHN ATTORNEY United States Patent Office3,174,666 COMBINATION LEVEL STAND AND CARRIER Herbert Vullmalm, 1435Willowdale Ava, Elkhart, Ind. Filed May 21, 1963, Ser. No. 282,542 3Claims. c1. 224-46) This invention relates to masons levels, andparticularly to a device for holding them in stable position immediatelyprior to and after use, and which is adapted to be used also as acarrier when such levels are being transferred to and from a job.

A masons level is a delicate instrument and may be easily jarred orstruck out of operational condition. Levels are used periodically duringthe construction of masonry walls, foundations, and the like, and mustbe maintained in a convenient position near the mason for such periodicuse. It has been found that without some means of holding these delicateinstruments in a firm position, they often become dislodged from theirposition when not in use, and the resulting fall or jar either mars thesurface of the level or desrtoys or misaligns the delicate levelingmechanism for which they are designed.

The instant invention has as its object a combination level stand whichmay be utilized on the job for holding one or more levels in astationary position when not in use, and which may be easily and quicklyconverted to a carrying device for transportation to and from the job.

The invention will be more clearly understood by referring to thefollowing drawings. In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a side elevational viewof my combination level stand and carrier, the position of the holdingdevice when used as a carrier being shown in phantom. FIG. 2 is a topplan view of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an elevational view from the right ofFIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the invention with the holdingdevice folded and locked into carrying position.

In operation, the carrying device is locked in upright position and oneor more levels are placed in the holder with their horizontal axisparallel to the sides of the holder or carrying device. They are held inthis relation by a compressible band or loop spring exerting pressureagainst their sides which locks them in place against the sides of theholder or carrier. In this position, that is, when used as a holdingdevice for on-the-job use, the levels are inserted in the holder orcarrier until the inserted, downwardly-extending end strikes the baseplate. On the job, the base plate may be conveniently weighted withblocks or a number of bricks to impart solidarity to the holding stand.When it is desired to do so, the device may be converted into a carrierby disengaging the locking device, folding the holding device overagainst the base plate, and engaging the base plate locking device. Thelevels may then be further inserted into the carrier until their centersof gravity are near the center of the carrier, or handle, and carrierand levels may be safely and easily carried from one place to anotherwithout fear of dropping.

Turning now to the drawings, reference numeral 2 designates the baseplate of the device. This base plate may be constructed of any materialwhich will give the desired strength to the device, but is preferablymade of a flat rectangle of steel of a size which will depend upon theover-all size of the levels to be used in it. It will be recognized bythose familiar with the art that over-all dimensions will depend uponthe size of the levels for which the device is constructed. Since masonslevels come in many and varied sizes, ingenuity will have to beexercised in the design of the particular device to be used.

Numeral 4 of the drawings represents the holding device portion of theinvention and comprises a substantially square box, preferably of metal,which is attached to the 3,174,666 Patented Mar. 23, 1965 bottom endthereof to base plate 2 by hinges 6 and 8. These hinging means, whichare normally standard metal hinges, are fastened to base plate 2 andholding device 4 in a plan vertical to the base plate. Preferably andcontemplated in the preferred embodiment of the invention, holdingdevice 4 is positioned at one end of base plate 2 so that when thedevice is in carrying position as shown in phantom in FIG. 1, the centerof gravity of the device is near the middle of the base plate.

Hinging means 6, which is toward the middle of base plate 2, has apivoting pin which is permanently fastened in said hinge. Hinging means8, however, has a pivoting pin 10 which is adapted to be disengaged fromhinge 8 thus permitting the holding device to be pivoted about thepivoting pin of hinge 6 in a plan that is parallel to base plate 2.Preferably hinging pin 10 is of U-shape construction, one arm of the Uforming the fastening leg for hinge 8 and the other arm terminated at aright angled bend as shown at 12, so that when pin 10 is withdrawn fromhinge 8 it strikes a stop 14 which prevents said hinging pin it frombeing completely disengaged from the device. Thus when hinge pin 10 iswithdrawn from hinge 8, right angled bend 12 strikes the stop 14 whichdisengages the pin from hinge 8 permitting holding device 4 to bepivoted about the pin of hinge 6 and move to the carrying position asshown in FIG. 1.

Carrying device 4 is equipped with a compressible spring 16 which is inthe form of a continuous band and held in position within the carryingdevice by means of holding pins 18 and 20. These holding pins may bepermanently atfixed in holding device 4 and are preferably of metal.Compressible spring 16 which is held in position by holding pins 18 and20 is positioned about the pins in such manner that when one or moremasons levels are inserted in the holding device compression spring 16exerts pressure against the sides of said levels and holds them firmlyagainst the sides of holding device 4.

The opposite spring holding pin 20 is terminated at one end thereof by aright angled bend as shown at 22 which is adapted to be received by slot24 in base plate 2. A handle 26 on the opposite end of pin 20 andrigidly attached thereto, permits the pin 20 to be rotated so that whenengaged in slot 24 the right angled bend 22 locks the holding device 4in carrying position.

Holding device 4 is also equipped on the side thereof with a carryinghandle 28 by which the device may be grasped for transporting to andfrom the job.

Thus when it is desired to transport masons levels by means of thisdevice to or from the job, hinge pin 10 is Withdrawn from hinge 8. Theholding device 4 is pivoted about the pin of hinge 6 until it isparallel to base plate 2 and spring holding pin 20 engages the lockingslot 24 in base plate 2. Handle 26 is rotated to engage right angledbend 22 thus locking the holding device in carrying position. The masonslevels being compressed by compression spring 16 against the sides ofholding device 4 are further inserted through the device untilsubstantial balance is achieved and the device and level is carried byhandle 28 from one position to another.

To summarize briefly, the instant invention relates to a combinationholding and carrying device for masons levels which comprises a. baseplate, a holding device mounted thereon by means of hinges, one of saidhinges being equipped with a retractable pin, a locking means forfastening said holding device to said base plate and a carrying handlefor transporting said carrying device.

What is claimed is':

1. A masons level tranporting and holding device which comprises a baseplate, an open-ended box pivotally fastened thereto by means of a pairof hinges, one of said hinges having a removable pin, said boxcontaining a compression band spring mounted therein so that when 3levels are inserted adjacent to said spring they are held securelyagainst the sides of said box, a locking device adapted to fasten saidbox in a position parallel to said base plate, and a carrying handle fortransporting said device.

2. A device for holding and transferring masons levels which comprisesan open-ended box which is pivotally mounted to one end of a base plateby a pair of hinges, one of said hinges having a removable hinge pin sothat when said pin is removed, said open-ended box may be pivoted aboutthe pin of the other hinge to a position parallel to said base plate,said box having in the upper and lower ends thereof spring holding pins,the upper of said pins terminating in a right angled bend, said baseplate having a locking slot therein to receive said right angled portionof said spring holding pin, said'upper spring holding pin having ahandle rigidly affixed to the end opposite said right angled bend forturning said pin, a compressible band spring mounted in said open-ended4 box and held in position by said spring holding pins, and a carryinghandle aiiixed to one side of said open-ended box.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said removable hinge pin is ofU-shaped construction wherein one of the arms of said pin fastens thehinge and the other of said arms terminates in a right-angled bend andis slidably mounted in a portion of said hinge so that said pin may notbe completely removed from said hinge.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,800,206 7/57Thorpe 20616 3,105,303 10/63 Frizzell 33207 3,112,144 11/63 Martens312--284 HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.

MORRIS TEMIN, Examiner.

1. A MASON''S LEVEL TRANSPORTING AND HOLDING DEVICE WHICH COMPRISES ABASE PLATE, AN OPEN-ENDED BOX PIVOTALLY FASTENED THERETO BY MEANS OF APAIR OF HINGES, ONE OF A SAID HINGES HAVING A REMOVABLE PIN, SAID BOXCONTAINING A COMPRESSION BAND SPRING MOUNTED THERIN SO THAT WHEN LEVELSARE INSERTED ADJACENT TO SAID SPRING THEY ARE HELD SECURELY AGAINST THESIDES OF SAID BOX, A LOCKING DEVICE ADAPTED TO FASTEN SAID BOX IN APOSITION PARALLEL TO SAID BASE PLATE, AND A CARRYING HANDLE FOTRANSPORTING SAID DEVICE.